Come as Yourself
by stillplayingpretend
Summary: Hannah Abbott is desperate for the love of her life, Ernie Macmillian to notice her back. When she gets ahold of a love potion that changes you into your crush's perfect match, she may have gotten more than she bargained for... A one-shot for the Houses Competition. Prompt: Love potion. Takes place about a year or so after graduation from Hogwarts. Hannah/Ernie, Hannah/Neville.


**A/N: House/Team: Badgers. Class Subject: Potions. Story Category: Standard. Prompt: [Object] Love Potion. Word Count: 2499. I'm not JKR. Takes place about a year after Hogwarts graduation. **

"This is it?" Hannah bit her lip and looked hesitantly at the small crystal bottle in her hand. "This will make him love me?"

The sales witch smiled and wrapped her long, elegant arm around Hannah's shoulder. "My dear, this is the greatest love potion on the market. A few sips will make all of your greatest wishes come true."

"I don't know," Hannah opened the bottle warily and gave it a small sniff. The smell was overwhelmingly sweet. It seemed to cloy at her senses, leaving her feeling a tad disoriented. "Aren't love potions a bit wrong? Forcing someone's feelings and all that?"

"Ah, but that is the beauty of this potion." The sales woman smiled ferally and reached out to tap the bottle with a brash, fake, nail. "This potion changes you to fit the object of your affections, not the other way around. Totally legal, and better in the long run. No need to worry about how you're going to keep dosing your love. You only need to keep drinking the potion yourself, and it will continue to take effect."

"Change me how?" asked Hannah in alarm.

The woman let out a low chuckle and gave Hannah's arm a squeeze. "It transforms you into the woman of your man's dreams - physically and mentally."

"I don't know about that, that seems a little…" Hannah trailed off.

The sales woman sighed. "Look, my dear. We all make changes for love. I don't know a single successful couple that doesn't end up different in some way after getting together, and yet I've never seen any of them complain. And do you know why? Because they're happy, and they make sacrifices to be that way. So the thing I'm asking you, my dear, is what are you willing to do to be happy? Do you love your man enough to make sacrifices?"

Hannah gritted her teeth and set her jaw in determination. "Yes. I do. I'll take it."

"Good." The sales woman purred. "Ten galleons for the first bottle. Come see me again when you need a refill."

Hannah handed over the money and looked hard at the little bottle again. "What do I have to do?"

"Wave your wand over the bottle while thinking hard about the object of your affections. Then take two sips every night before bed. The changes will happen gradually, over the course of a few days. The physical changes will happen first, then the mental ones. Make sure you stay in close proximity to your crush; otherwise how will he notice the new you?"

Hannah nodded uncomfortably, then hurried out of the shop. She wondered wildly how she had come to this level of desperation. Things had been good after the war had ended. The light side had won, and she and most of her friends had made it through the Battle of Hogwarts unscathed. She had been looking forward to a nice, quiet life after graduating. That's why she had applied to work as a secretary at the ministry – she could still be around all of her old friends, and the job itself was quite easy. Best of all, she was working around her girlhood crush and former housemate, Ernie Macmillian.

Only, Ernie didn't seem to notice her at all. At least not like that. He was kind, he was charming (in his own sort of way), and she was desperate for them to become more than friends. She had gone on a few dates with Ernie in school, but they had never amounted to anything. Hannah was growing tired of being seen as his frumpy and dependable school friend, but nothing she did or said made any difference. But maybe this potion would change all of that. It was extreme, sure, but it was like that sales witch had said – people do extreme things for love. And if she didn't like it, she could always stop taking it – right?

Hannah walked into her apartment and immediately began getting ready for bed. She looked into her floor length mirror and sighed as she ran her fingers through her straw-like hair. She frowned at how round and red her face seemed, but then stopped immediately when she realized that made her brown eyes look even flatter than usual. She flopped onto her bed with a sigh and held the little bottle out in front of her. She raised her wand above it and visualized Ernie- his laugh, his face, his smile –then popped off the cork and took two sips. Instantly, she began to cough as the sugar sweet liquid coated her mouth and throat. She swallowed with great effort and began to feel sleepy and light headed. Hannah got up and tried to walk across the room to turn off the light, but instead she collapsed onto the floor. Through her confusion, she caught sight of herself in the mirror one last time, before she fell into unconsciousness.

* * *

Hannah woke up feeling strange.

She groaned and sat up, trying to remember why she had spent the night on the ground. She rubbed her eyes and went to stand, then froze as she caught sight of herself in the mirror. She scrambled up and ran over to it, astonished beyond belief at what she was seeing.

It was her, but – wow. She seemed to have lost a stone overnight, and as a result her face had lost its characteristic roundness and was now a beautiful heart shape. Her hair no longer looked like a dull blonde mess, but was now a beautiful golden color and curled delicately at her waist. Her brown eyes were bright and lively, and her skin was as pale and clear as fresh milk. "Wow." Hannah breathed in amazement. She still looked like herself, but – the best possible version. She quickly got ready for work and apparated to the ministry, her whole body quivering with excitement. She practically ran to her desk and sat there anxiously waiting for Ernie. He arrived a half hour later, adorably pompous as ever as he trailed after the government official he was supposed to be training under. "Morning Hannah!" He said cheerfully. "Lovely day isn't it!"

"Yes," Hannah replied, smiling brightly at him. "I wish I could be outside enjoying the sunshine, not cooped up in here."

"Agreed." Ernie laughed. "Big plans for the weekend?"

Hannah sat up straighter in her chair. "No, nothing. You?"

"I may take a walk down Diagon Alley with that witch from the portkey office. That is if this weather holds up."

Hannah's smile sank and she found herself blinking back tears. "That sounds lovely. Have a good time."

"The same to you Hannah! Right then, back to work." Ernie continued on past Hannah's desk, whistling the whole way, oblivious to the pain his words had caused her.

It hadn't worked. Hannah ran to the women's toilet and looked at her new face in the mirror. She forced her rising panic down with a tremendous wave of self-control and made herself breath. It had only been one day; the sales witch had said the transformation would take time. Hannah worked the rest of the day in a heartbroken haze. She disapparated with a heavy heart and stumbled numbly into her flat. Once again, she immediately got ready for bed and took out the little bottle. This time, she turned off the light and climbed under the covers before taking her two sips of the potion. The room began to spin, and Hannah slid unhappily into unconsciousness.

* * *

Hannah's nightgown felt tight.

Hannah blinked blearily at the morning light and shifted uncomfortably. The potion must have changed my figure. She thought excitedly to herself. She bounced out of bed excitedly and ran over to the mirror, then let out a cry of shock.

She was right. The potion had changed her figure. She hadn't gained any more weight overnight, but she was now much more… shapely than she had been before taking the potion. Hannah was terribly embarrassed to realize that none of her clothes would fit her now unless she altered them magically. This is what Ernie likes? She thought dumbfounded. She was more than a little uneasy... maybe she hadn't thought this whole thing through after all…

Hannah gazed into the mirror and stared at her face. As she stared, she felt a bizarre buzzing feeling travel up her spine and rest behind her eyes. She shook with fear as she watched as her brown eyes lightened into a crisp blue. Hannah jumped back in horror, shaking her head. The changes were supposed to happen while she was sleeping, that was the whole point! She didn't want to watch this, didn't want to be conscious through it!

Her lips began to grow numb and Hannah shut her eyes as she felt them stretch and grow. Her scalp was burning – whatever was happening there, Hannah did not want to know. She put her head in her hands and sobbed as her bones shifted and her skin grew hot and tingled. Why had she done this? What was wrong with her? She should never have gone to that witch; she should have listened to Susan and moved on a long time ago. She sobbed as the buzzing and tingling and burning rose to a crescendo, then as suddenly as it had all began –

It stopped.

Hannah let out one shuddering breath, then slowly crawled over to the mirror.

The face looking back at her was not her own.

Staring back at her was a gorgeous brunette beauty. She kind of looked a bit like that Beauxbaton champion from fourth year if she had had dark hair and freckles. Freckles – yes! Hannah held out her arms and realized that she was now dotted with them all over her body. She had never known Ernie had a thing for freckles. Hannah stood up awkwardly and realized she had also lost several inches of height. She might have guessed that one; Ernie was on the shorter side. It was no wonder he was on the lookout for a more petite girl.

Hannah looked at herself in the mirror and burst into tears again. What had she done? She was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen in her life – and yet she felt on the verge of a complete meltdown. _Ernie, think about Ernie_. She thought desperately. She couldn't live with herself like this. There was no way, she had thought she could but she wasn't strong enough. She wasn't strong enough to be the perfect woman for him, not unless something changed inside of her too.

Hannah turned and looked at the half empty bottle sitting beside her bed. For a moment, she considered dumping the whole thing down the drain. Then she crossed the room in two long strides and downed the rest in one gulp, this time embracing the darkness as it overcame her.

* * *

Hannah felt amazing.

She opened her eyes with a seductive smirk and rolled off the floor. She sauntered up to the mirror and surveyed herself. Perfect in every way. What had that ridiculous sales witch known? Only take two sips a night, bah! Hannah had never felt better in her entire life. She pouted into the mirror, then gave a haughty sniff. It was nearly nighttime, and there was some place she needed to be. She dressed quickly and apparated into Diagon Alley. If she knew Ernie, he would be hanging around the Leaky Cauldron trying to make as many connections as possible. The thought of rubbing shoulders with some of the ministry's higher-ups gave Hannah an intense thrill though the notion had never appealed much to her before. She envisioned the two of them together - him as Minister for Magic and Hannah as the supportive witch on his arm. The idea was so enticing that she smiled seductively at a passerby, who stopped to stare openly – to the displeasure of his wife.

Hannah entered the Leaky Cauldron and saw Ernie seated at a table with that mousy witch from the portkey office. Hannah waltzed gracefully over to Ernie and sat down across from him. She stared pointedly at the girl, who mumbled a quick excuse and left the table. Hannah flashed Ernie a smile and placed her hands on the table daintily.

"Hello Ernie. Fancy a drink?"

"Do I know you?" Ernie asked dazedly.

Hannah chuckled. "Why Ernie, it's me, Hannah. You don't have time to grab a drink with your old friend?"

"Hannah?" Ernie exclaimed in disbelief. Then he shook his head and frowned. "Hannah, what have you done to yourself?"

Hannah laughed and waved her hand distractedly. "What needed to be done. I felt like a change. Do you like it?"

"No." Ernie said bluntly. He looked her up and down in disgust. "Hannah, you look amazing, but I can't believe you would do this to yourself. Change it back, now."

Hannah blinked at him in shock. "Ernie," she began, "you don't understand. I did this special, so that we can-"

"I don't care why you did it." He broke in bluntly. "Any witch who would completely change herself like this is either desperate or in need of help. Hannah, I know you and this isn't you. Let me know when my friend is back. I'll see you at work." And with that he stood up abruptly and went to rejoin his date.

Hannah sat there in shock. He...didn't…want her? That was impossible. Hannah's head hurt. Part of her wanted to burst into tears and owl her father. Another part of her wanted to shrug and find a nice bureaucrat to ensnare. She wanted to go to work and pretend this never happened. She was quitting that desk job immediately and finding a suitable husband. She hated that stupid sales witch and her false promises. She wondered if the potion would work better if the man hadn't known her before, maybe she should try it with someone else and see…

"Excuse me. Did I hear you say you're Hannah – Hannah Abbott?"

Hannah looked up and saw, of all people, Neville Longbottom standing in front of her.

"Yes," She answered flatly.

Neville frowned then sat down across from her. For a moment, he didn't say anything. Then he sighed. "He's not worth it. Ernie's a great guy, but no one's worth erasing yourself over."

The noise in Hannah's head grew silent as she stared at the round-faced boy. He smiled and took her hand.

"What are you doing tomorrow night?"

"Tomorrow?" Hannah's thoughts spun wildly. "Nothing. Why?"

"Because, Hannah Abbott. I would like to take you out to dinner – if that's alright with you?"

Neville Longbottom was asking her out? Hannah shrugged and blushed slightly. "Yes, I suppose that would be alright."

Neville nodded and stood up awkwardly. "Good. Oh, and Hannah?"

"Yes?"

"Come as yourself."


End file.
